Short Biography
As one of the major players in the UK's original shoegaze scene, along with groups such as Slowdive, Lush, and Ride, Cranes were one of the first rock bands to put the seaside town of Portsmouth on the musical map. A series of high-profile shows in 1992 supporting the Cure on a world tour, (including a show at The Point in Dublin), opened the gates to a wider audience. They released several albums on the label Dedicated, three of which Wings Of Joy (1991), Forever (1993) and Loved (1994), were re-issued in 2009 on Cherry Red due to popular demand. Since 1997, the group-- led by brother and sister Jim and Alison Shaw-- has taken intermittent breaks; the release of Future Songs in 20...
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Short Biography
As one of the major players in the UK's original shoegaze scene, along with groups such as Slowdive, Lush, and Ride, Cranes were one of the first rock bands to put the seaside town of Portsmouth on the musical map. A series of high-profile shows in 1992 supporting the Cure on a world tour, (including a show at The Point in Dublin), opened the gates to a wider audience. They released several albums on the label Dedicated, three of which Wings Of Joy (1991), Forever (1993) and Loved (1994), were re-issued in 2009 on Cherry Red due to popular demand. Since 1997, the group-- led by brother and sister Jim and Alison Shaw-- has taken intermittent breaks; the release of Future Songs in 2001 on their own label Dadaphonic was followed by a live album and then Particles and Waves in 2004 with their most recent full-length, Cranes appearing in 2008
In-depth Biography
Cranes were one of the major trance-pop/shoegaze groups of the early '90s, combining ethereal vocals and melodies with loud, droning guitars. Cranes were formed by brother and sister Jim (drums) and Alison Shaw (vocals) in 1988 in Portsmouth, England; guitarist Mark Francombe and bassist Matt Cope joined the band two years later. The group independently released its first album, Fuse, on cassette in 1990; a small local label released Self-Non-Self the same year to good reviews. Both sets of music led to a record contract with Dedicated, an English record label. Later that year, they released their first EP for the label, Inescapable, which earned them a lot of attention, including a Melody Maker cover story; a second EP, Espero, also earned positive reviews, including a Melody Maker Single of the Week. The following year, the band released its first album on Dedicated, Wings of Joy, which received favorable reviews on both sides of the Atlantic, as well as earning the band a sizable cult following, including the Cure's Robert Smith; Smith picked Cranes to open for the Cure on their 1992 world tour, which earned them a larger audience. Forever, the group's second album, was released in 1993. It expanded their cult slightly, yet 1994's Loved found the band in a holding pattern commercially. After releasing the limited-edition Tragedy of Orestes and Electra in late 1996, Cranes returned with Population 4, which was greeted with mixed reviews and found the group's cult shrinking. A reissue of Self-Non-Self followed the next year, but a new studio album didn't arrive until 2001 with Future Songs -- a relatively straightforward departure from their former material, with Alison Shaw's vocals higher in the mix than before. Particles & Waves (2004) and Cranes (2008) incorporated electronics with sparse arrangements to good effect. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi
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